Dagon
(Lionsgate Region 1 NTSC DVD)
(2001)
review by Catwalk

Dagon is the story of Paul and Barbara, a couple celebrating the success of Paul’s company with his business partner on a yacht outside of Spain.  Paul (Godden) is a true geek, pale and thin and always analytical about everything.  Barbara (Merono) is far more outgoing and energetic, and absolutely free-spirited.  Traveling with another couple, they soon run into a storm and strike a rock just outside of a fishing town.  Paul and Barbara must go into town to find help for the wounded couple, Howard and Vicki.

Paul has had repeated nightmares where he sees the beautiful wide-eyed vision of a lover, who then sprouts more fangs than anyone could count and shocks him back to reality.  When the town displays images that he’s seen in his dreams, Paul’s analytical brain is forced to deal with facets of reality he couldn’t imagine.

Soon, Barbara disappears, and Paul is running for his life in the rain-soaked coastal town from odd beings with various deformities.  Only by capturing Ezekiel (Rabal), does Paul learn the odd history of the town of Imboca and its inhabitants.  This newfound information leads Paul on a rabid series of chases where he comes face to face with danger, dismemberment and the girl of his visions.

Dagon is adapted from H.P. Lovecraft’s first published short story, “The Shadow Over Innsmouth”.  The creatures are visually fantastic and the adaptation of the story (by writer Dennis Paoli) is exceptional.  It’s Stuart Gordon’s direction (Re-Animator) that creates a consistently dramatic sequence of events and sights which makes the film work.

The sets are incredible, from the outside shots (on location in the city of Cambarro, Spain) to the flooded house, underground caverns and temple.  These scenes are the exact backdrop needed for the lavish or secretive characters as the story unfolds.  In the end, the supernatural and practical meet with an unexpected harmony.

Godden performs well as Paul, hoping to keep his head wrapped around reality while undeniable new fantasies are unfolding before him.  He evolves from the weakling to a man driven by the will to survive and to save his girlfriend.  Merono remains the more powerful of the two, as the character of Barbara demands.  Macarena Gomez (no I did not make that up) plays Uxia, the high priestess of Imboca.  Honestly, I don’t think she blinked in the entire movie.  She may not have blinked during the entire shooting process.  She is remarkably beautiful but eerie as hell both at once.

Francisco Rabal (Santos Inocentes), also known as Paco, holds his own as the half-crazy Ezekiel, providing the guidance for Paul to evolve into a stronger man.  Rabal died in 2001 from emphysema.  There is a dedication to him at the close of the film.

The DVD includes a handful of extras; the usual scene selection and trailer.  There are two commentary tracks; one with Gordon and Paoli, the other with Gordon and Godden.  Gordon’s direct and straight delivery make for an interesting listen while discussing many of the creature effects, adapting a Lovecraft story, and the location.